Voices of Exile
by Nitzoplax
Summary: Emails back and forth during Josh's forced vacaition
1. Chapter 1

From: JLymanwhitehouse.gov

To: SSeabornwhitehouse.gov

Subject: please read it's not what you think, don't delete or quit

Sam,

First of all let me say thank you. I know you haven't officially said yes… yet, but think about it for a minute and you'll how much you are needed. Over 450 working on this transition and you are the first person to talk to me about the future without trying to further their own position. Not to mention one of only two people who forced me to listen to the idea that I need to think about my own needs. Well besides Amy Gardner, whom you know I ignore on principle and who as always was pushing an agenda of her own which as always was completely skewed and had little relevance to reality.

I am told I must apologize for contacting you less than 24 hours after we left which is of course a break with the contract that you coerced me in to signing. I mean to say contrary to brilliantly and thoughtfully articulated points that you presented to me in my office before I introduced you to President Elect Santos, who I might add has even more potential than what you pointed out in that conversation. As I'm sure you will see in this next week I want to point out that this is not to harangue you with work stuff and me trying to work while I am supposed to be resting. These are primarily personal and housekeeping issues that are for you, our friend rather than for you my deputy. There are some work topics but I'm sure you will see that they are a direct result of me trying to take your advice or make amends rather than me trying to be an egotistical control freak (an accusation I still refute, though how strongly I deny such charges will have to go unsaid because someone keeps hitting the delete key every time I finish a sentence.) let's just leave it at I feel that these topics do not constitute grounds for executing any of the contingent clauses you included in our agreement.

I'm in Maui rather than in Florida visiting my mother, Rona has the contact info and room number etc. It's a state that hasn't voted republican since Eisenhower we thought it safer for me to vacation here plus it is the one state We missed during the campaign so "there are no work related memories to get me all riled up again." And it seems someone seems to remember eliciting a promise for me to take her here though I distinctly remember avoiding making any such promises. Any way all blackberries and cell phones have been left back at the office. So if Otto feels inclined to update my blackberry I would appreciate it and sincerely want to extend my thanks for his thoughtfulness.

C.J. and I talked before about the opportunity for Santos administration staffers to shadow their Bartlet Administration counterparts. I would aprecieate it if you would have Margret arrange a day for Otto and Bram to spend with Ed and Larry while we are gone. I know Otto wanted to be a speech writer and he is talented but, with Lou as Communications director it might be somewhat awkward and if she decides to poach him then its up to him, but at least he in the white house. He's a talented kid and I can trust him and depend on him and I will tell him just how much I appreciate all his hard work when I return. Be sure to tell him that Senior Whitehouse Domestic Policy advisor is vital role and admirable position not just any old assistant job. Though I 'm told to remind you that it would be bad to mention Donna out ranked Ed and Larry.

Speaking of Donna, she has agreed to accompany me on my exile, I mean my much appreciated and brief sabbatical. She and I decided to explore a broader ranged potential for our relationship just before the election and she has given me 3 weeks and 5 more days to figure out what that means. One thing it for sure means is that she will not be working in the west wing. She is still wavering about whether or not she is capable of the first lady's chief of staff offer or even if the job is still open after lying to her husband. I think Donna will come around and realize that Mrs. Santos is not sabotaging her chances of being an effective presence, but rather seeing the true remarkable force the rest of us see Donna as. Frankly I'm a little miffed at Mrs. Santos for over reaching and trying to poach a potentially valuable member of her husband's administration just so she can have someone more effective than her predecessor. Donna also thinks you should take my job offer. The rest of her comments I refuse to commit to paper because I do not feel that I need to be kept in line and that's just all I'm going to say to someone who is doing me a big favor right now and who I am trying to convince to uproot his entire life to come back and lead .

I have all the faith in the world in you, my friend. I would not have left if I did not for a second think you can handle it. Use Bram, Lou, and Otto, they will help you navigate the chaos. Spend the time with the President Elect, get to know him. If after that you still want to go we can fight about it when I get back. Only if it is a dire emergency should you try and contact me about work. We have a laptop for emails and checking up on the news, but will be checking it irregularly at best. I have less than a month to figure this out and as everyone seems so fond of pointing out I have spent very little time in the last decade focusing on my personal needs so I am going to spend every minute of this week doing just that.

Seriously pal, thanks again I hate to admit it but I really needed this.

-Josh


	2. Chapter 2

From: OttoDucWhitehouse.gov

To: JoshuaLymanWhitehouse.gov

Subject: Whitehouse Position

Mr. Seaborne showed us your email and reluctantly showed me the contract the two of you drew up. I wanted you to know that I appreciate your kind words and let you know that your blackberry has already been updated. Most of your inbox has been redistributed and call sheet is completely clear for the duration of your absence. I am spending most Thursday with President Bartlet's senior policy advisors. Sam explained to me the valuable role they played in the last administration and I greatly appreciate your faith in me. Lou has also offered me a position of Whitehouse speech writer, a position that has been my dream job since I can remember.

I have also talked to several members of the current administration and spent considerable time thinking about my future. I know that this is the wrong time to be asking and don't mean to impose while you are on vacation and have already offered me so much. I just wanted to ask if you were possibly considering me for your senior assistant and ask if that position was still open. Just think about it and let me know when you get back.

Until then let me know if there is anything you need anything at all. I already have almost every amenity on Maui available at my fingertips so don't hesitate to ask. Good weather is expected for the next couple of days but a low pressure system is expected to move in by the end of the week so it might rain starting Friday. Enjoy your vacation.

-Otto


	3. Chapter 3

From: Job and Josh Lyman

Dear Donna,

Matt shared Josh's email with me and I should tell you that nobody is mad at you. I should also mention that I smacked upside his head for asking you directly if Josh was seeing anybody. We had a bet and he was trying to cheat. I apologize for any discomfort he may have caused and assure you that my husband will be in the doghouse for some time to come over this one. I should also say after Josh's email you have officially been outed and further denials will be futile. You and I will have to discus Josh and Maui in greater detail later. If I have to suffer you calling me mam, I think the least you could do is dish on the man who is responsible for my suffering. While we're on the topic of the email despite the assurance of everyone that you are apparently a special case; (which we will discuss in detail later and further proves my point that you are the right person for the job), and normally a senior assistant does not out rank a senior advisor there is a flurry of activity caused by the comment that you out ranked top tier advisors. Otto and Bram are demanding administrative flow charts for the last dozen administrations in addition to the implementation of a flow chart for this administration for Santos 1 that includes assistants and figuring out where they would stand. Rona is walking around like the cock of the walk crowing about The fact that as the President Elect's executive assistant she would beat least 2 tiers above Senior Assistant to the Whitehouse Deputy Chief of Staff she must out rank just about everybody. Frankly I haven't seen her this spunky since she broke up with her last serious girlfriend.

I apparently didn't make my case clear enough so let's see if I can do it in writing better than I did in person. You are the top and only name on my staffing list. I talked with current First Lady Bartlet as well as Amy Gardner, (who in all honesty has been my friend for that last couple of years) and Lilly Mays (whom had nothing positive to say about the man you are currently sharing a hotel suite with.) I don't get that by the way how can you spend a week showing me these palatial estates and then fly coach half a dozen time zones and then spend a week in a 2.5 star timeshare condo. Anyway the women I talked to all listed you as their top choice. Lilly stated that you were capable and able to navigate the press cycles. Dr. Bartlet said that iI'd be lucky to get you and that I might be able to gain some ground by pointing out that this is one of the few non west wing Whitehouse jobs and that I could offer a flexible schedule to complete any academic or other personal schedule that you may need.

Let me put this plain as I can. Matt was never supposed to be president I was never supposed to be first lady. Matt grudgingly accepted the congressional nomination on the promise that there was no way a democrat could win his district but that he could shape the debate and bring to light some issues which had far gone ignored by our district's federal representation. Then low and behold after 6 count them 6 long years in Washington we were going to once again be a family and then Josh Lyman shows up at our door one Christmas Eve and next thing I know my children will each have a team of bodyguards for at least the next 29 years. I am out of my depth and out of my liege. I am going from junior congressmen's wife from the great state of Texas to being someone who is going to have books written bout me long after I am dead. I need help You're the best person to help me, and the rest is just incidental. I haven't sworn in months which when you get to know me is huge. I'm losing myself. I spend my days looking at mansions and at china patterns, listening to pitches about the political ramifications of where we send our kids. I swear I'm going to hurt the next person that talks to me about using my children's future to score some cheap political points, unless you agree to come on board as my Chief of Staff then I might be persuaded to hold off a week before maiming anyone.

I hope to hear from you soon.

Helen Santos First Lady in training and hopefully future employer

P.S. What's the deal with this Sam Seaborne character that is filling in for your bed warmer?

* * *

Author's note I may or may not have been drunk off my behind for these last couple of chapters. I apologize; I will reread and edit them on a day when I actually had a good day at work and haven't consumed a case and a half of Hornsby's.


	4. Chapter 4

From: ZB98926usss.gov

Subject: Purple Boxes

Zoey,

I need a favor. As you may have heard, I am in Hawaii with Josh figuring things out. I also am considering Helen Santos' offer to be her chief of staff. I can't enjoy the sun, surf and aerobic exercise if I know that she is going to be unaided this week. Did I mention how long it has been since I last had a decent exercise partner? So here's the deal I will forget and forgive every purple, pink or blue box and the contents there of, that I ever acquired for you sat with through or disposed of for you. Victoria's Secret's will be safe no Trojan horse, completely an Error Prof offer. Just enjoy her company, regal her with some of your experiences without sending her running, and keep her on an even and balanced keel. She has tremendous potential but the roof just kind of caved in on her and she has to see that even at its worst life in the Whitehouse is not a death sentence and offers some pretty unique and remarkable opportunities. Thanks' a million, I greatly appreciate it. On a different topic Josh asked if I thought Charlie might be interested in working for the Santos administration. Let me know whether you all want to stay in D.C. or if you have your heart set on New Hampshire. He won't make the offer unless you are good with it, but he wants to make the offer.

Donna

P.S. Marblehead Miriam is going to swing by the day after tomorrow let's see how she does with what's out there without risking any serious enemies.


	5. Chapter 5

From: OttoDucWhitehouse.gov

Subject: You are never going to be me

Otto,

I like you I really do but if you have any sense of self preservation you will refrain from trying to power grab for at least the next week and admit that I now own you. Josh did not and will not receive your email he is on vacation. A vacation from people trying to further their position just like you did. Since you know he is under contract to avoid such distractions I can either assume you are stupid, over stressed and in need of a vacation yourself, or a republican.

So here is what is going to happen you are going to call Miriam Cotesworth Hayes head of the northeast region of the D.A.R. and arrange a lunch with her, Zoey Bartlet and Helen Santos. You are going to show Sam Seaborne both this email and the one you sent to Josh, beg for his forgiveness and then you are not going to work more than 8 hours a day till Josh gets back. You will check your email regularly to see if I need you to do any thing and follow through with any request I make. You are going to not try and contact Josh until he returns. If you deviate from this in any way I can guarantee you are done in the Santos administration which would be a tremendous loss.

Please understand I'm normally not this kind of evil spiteful person. Josh needs his rest and frankly by making a public example of you is the best way of making sure that happens. You're getting your licks in early, Transition is rough on everybody, but soon enough you will be in the Whitehouse with Josh and President Santos doing tremendous things.

Dona


	6. Chapter 6

Author's note I am having some formatting issues. Each email should have a to, a from and a subject. Josh's email was supposed to have enumerated paragraphs, and there are a few other omissions or changes. Any ideas on how to fix this? Please keep the feed back coming. More feed back more and better chapters. Constructive criticism is always appreciated, and listened to. I just wish it would let me fix some of the problems that people have already mentioned. The last two emails spawned out of this one and were hastily written to make this email make sense. The last 2 emails were to have come from this account and Helen's was supposed to have come from the on this is going to Helenofhoustoncharternet . I dont know why it wont show the freaking to and from.

* * *

From: Job, Josh Lyman, and Sam Seaborne

Helen,

Fine I will accept your offer on an interim basis. When I get back we will close ourselves in a room and talk this out over some wine or whatever it is you thin veneered Texans drink. Believe you me if this is going to work out there will be honest revelations and swearing by both of us. We are both going to have to get over our hang-ups and just deal with the realities of where we are today, and ma'am that means you are going to have to learn to deal with protocol. Suck it up and deal. Only after you stop balking at the idea of someone acknowledging you position in your presence can we even talk about you being flexible with it.

As punishment for your bed warmer comment Otto is going to set up lunch for you with Miriam Cotesworth Hayes for the day after tomorrow. I suggest you ask Rona to find the stuffiest, prissiest etiquette functionary from the current First Ladies staff and draft her into intensive service. Otto is trying to work his way off my list for sending Josh a self-serving email while we are on vacation so if there is anything you need don't be afraid to ask him. Zoey Bartlet will drop everything to hang out with you this week and be someone you can relax around while at the same time filling you with stories of her experiences as part of the first family if tell her: "Donna says this would completely make you even for every purple box, past, present and future."

There have been around 50 American First Ladies and another dozen Whitehouse hostesses. Take this week and read up on them, you are their legacy. Talk to your husband he knows you better than anyone who worked on the campaign he is your rock just as you're his. Finally we can't start putting together our team till we know what it is we want to do. So think about what it is you want to accomplish during the next 4 years. What are the 3 most important issues to you, the 7 most, the 12 most? What would you like to do to affect those concerns? How vocal do you want to be? How much opposition are you willing to face? Those are questions you need to honestly wrestle with on your own.

Also remember that you are also the defacto head of the household apart from overseeing your children's education, you get to aid in all the daily life aspects and human needs aspects of your presidency. If a photo gets taken of President Santos in an unflattering suit, somebody is going to whine about it to you. On the plus side you get to wear designer dresses that anyone else could never afford, you get to focus the nations attention on issues important to you and if you do it right strike fear into the heart of every west wing staffer.

As for Samuel Norman Seaborne Esquire, no one could ask fro a better friend. He's one of the most noble, intelligent and just good people I know. He's like Sir Galahad, Atticus Finch, and James Madison all wrapped up in one yummy package. If he can be convinced to come in as WHDCOS then my expectations of what will be accomplished during your husbands presidency will increase by a magnitude of 5. Josh still thinks of him as a brother and takes Sam's counsel seriously and will listen to it and incorporate it even it is completely contrary to his current course of action.

This is both good and bad. Good because Sam is often the voice of conscience, humanity and rightness when everybody else gets mired down in the conflict of political maneuvering. Bad because they are birds of a feather when they both get left to their own devises mischief is bound to occur. In the sprit of full disclosure, they once tried to send me to get pinecones to help them build a fire that could have done structural damage to the Whitehouse. The good does out way the bad but there is a reason Josh is stocking the political side of your husbands staff with speech writers and wordsmiths, there are going to be times when they are going to have to talk themselves out of trouble.

Josh is still asleep so I can say this Josh loves Sam like a brother and that is why he did not bring him onboard for the campaign even though we could have used him. Josh's big fear is people he loves getting hurt because of him. His father died without saying goodbye during the first Bartlet Campaign, I got in the wrong car, Zoey trusted the wrong person, Toby Zeigler shot off his mouth, Leo died and Josh blames himself for all of it. If Leo hadn't died Sam would still be in California and Josh might have made it out for the wedding.

Josh is a brilliant man in many ways but he is emotionally stunted. His deepest relationships all involve work which is of course his life. Leo was like a father to him. Now that he's gone Josh is trying to rein it in and rebuild his strategy for all of this without one of the key players both personally and professionally. He realized he was going to have to step up and take the reins completely. He also realized that he was going to need to take care of himself to do that. Knowing that he is not able to look after himself on his own, he called the one person still willing to work in the west wing that could help him be a whole person.

Josh's work first personality is also the reason for where we are as whatever we are. We have had this dynamic for years and circled around our feelings for a while but as long as we worked together it wasn't going to happen. I overheard him telling Congressmen Wyatt that he could never be in a relationship with someone he worked with. Shortly after that I left him to join the Russell campaign just to put some space between us. It wasn't till Election eve that we got together. Your husband has said many times that he doesn't care who Josh dates. I hope that is true because if this is going to be a problem I should find out know rather than get my hopes crushed later. Josh is always going to chose work and I'm fine with that, I could never stand between him and doing everything he can to make things better. I'm just hoping he chooses me next so I can continue to help him do it.

Sorry I'm just venting and a little overly emotionally charged, this thing is so Blah and with everything else I think I am in need of a beach myself. I think I hear someone stirring so I better end this and see if can find some company to go down to that beach. I'll talk to you later Ma'am.

Donna


End file.
